Hibiscus.] MALVACEAE. 95 



staminal tube. Stamina! tube truncate or 5-toothed at the top, 

 giving off the free ends of the stamens at various heights. Ovary 

 5-celled ; ovules 3 or more in each cell ; styles 5, connate below ; 

 stigmas usually capitate. Capsule loculicidally 5-valved, 5-celled 

 or rarely spuriously 10-celled. Seeds reniform globose or obovoid, 

 glabrous velvety cottony or scaly. 



Calyx spathaceous, splitting down one side and falling off at flowering- 

 time ; seeds striated ; flowers yellow or white : 

 Bracteoles linear, more than 6 ; seeds glabrous : 



Capsules lanceolate, narrowed to the base, 1-3 in. long ; peduncles 

 as long as the capsules ; seeds '15 in. long, nearly globular 



1. Abdmoschus. 



Capsule elongate, attenuate above, truncate at the base, 6-10 in. 

 long ; peduncle many times shorter than the capsule ; seeds ovoid, 



with close opaque striations esculentus. 



Bracteoles ovate-lanceolate, 4-6 or (at the time of flowering) : 

 Lobes of leaves obtuse, narrowed at their base ; upper flowers in 

 terminal leafless racemes ; stem with minute thorns ; bracteoles 5-6, 



fugacious 2. ficulne us. 



Lobes of leaves acute (or in H. Manihot sometimes 0) ; bracteoles 4 : 

 Bracteoles persistent, distinct ; nerves of leaves with a few ar- 



pressed setae on both sides 3. Manihot. 



Bracteoles connate nearly to the top at the time of flowering 

 or split down one side, fugacious : 



Nerves of leaves thickly beset with spreading setae 



4. setinervis. 



Nerves of leaves tomentose 5. angulosus. 



Calyx with 5 distinct teeth and persistent in flower ; seeds glabrous or 

 hairy : 



Stem and sepals with small thorns ; sepals eglandular ; bracteoles 

 mostly forked or foliaceous at the tip ; seeds glabrous : 



Stipules foliaceous, semisagittate 6. surattensis. 



Stipules linear or 7. furcatus. 



Stem and sepals unarmed, or, if with a few small prickles, then calyx- 

 teeth and midrib of leaves with a large gland below : 

 Seeds with long cottony hairs ; flowers never yellow : 



Leaves acute, serrate, usually over 2 in. long, with a large gland 

 on the midrib beneath ; flowers scarlet ; calyx-lobes 4 or 5 times 



longer than their tube 8. hirtus. 



Leaves blunt, dentate, usually under 1 in. long ; flowers white ; 

 calyx-lobes about twice as long as their tube 9. micranthus. 



